Arrests Made at Oak Grove as Protest Takes ‘Aggressive’ Turn

As the campus completes the second fence around the oak grove near Memorial Stadium, UCPD officials say they are concerned by the protest’s new, aggressive tone.

Early yesterday morning, about 20 police officers, some wearing riot helmets and carrying batons, responded to an altercation at the oak grove that led to three arrests.

Two other tree-sit supporters were arrested Wednesday, including protest leader Zachary RunningWolf. Police said RunningWolf and three others have been involved in attempts to cut through the fence. All five have been issued seven- day stay-away orders.

All the tree-sitters are in violation of a court injunction issued Oct. 29 that forbids protesters from lodging in trees and providing support to the tree-sitters.

About 50 people arrived at the grove around midnight Wednesday after attending a benefit concert to raise funds for The Longest Walk, an annual, 4,400-mile trek across America to support the protection of Native American sacred sites, said protest supporter and UC Berkeley senior Marcella Sadlowski.

Some tree-sitters “decided the fence was inhumane” and started to dismantle it, Sadlowski said, prompting the arrival of UCPD officers.

UCPD Assistant Chief Mitch Celaya said an officer saw a protester on the ground inside the fenced area. The officer attempted to detain the protester, but was then attacked by other protesters, Celaya said.

A crowd of 25-30 people attempted to prevent police from entering the fenced area to aid the attacked officer by blocking the gate, creating a “crowd-control situation,” Celaya said.

As a result, one tree-sitter, Alekseay Marmyguin, 20, and two supporters, Clara Luna, 40, and Nathan Titts, 27, were arrested early yesterday morning, Celaya said. All were non-students.

All three were charged with violating a court order and resisting arrest. Titts was charged with four counts of battery on a police officer while Luna was charged with three counts of battery.

Protesters said they were responding to an attempt by police to cut off the food and water supply to the tree-sitters.

“We heard that UC Berkeley wasn’t allowing any food or water to be given to the tree-sitters so we went to bear witness and offer our prayers,” said Jimbo Simmons, a member of the International Indian Treaty Council, in a statement.

On Wednesday, tree-sit supporter Daneyal Siddique was arrested at 7:30 p.m. on suspicion of violating the court order by passing supplies to the tree-sitters.

While campus officials have recently said protesters would not be prevented from receiving supplies from outside the fence, Celaya said the policy depends on the circumstances of each situation.

“If we can enforce (the injunction), we are going to enforce it,” he said.

The tree-sitters have occupied the oaks since December in protest of a proposed athletic center slated to be built on the site of the grove.

The city of Berkeley is among three entities suing the university to stop construction. A ruling by Alameda County Superior Court Judge Barbara Miller is expected in the coming weeks.

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